Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn speaks during a press conference at the government complex in Seoul on Jan. 12, 2016, to announce a plan for monitoring big state projects in real-time in the latest of South Korea’s efforts to preemptively root out corruption. Projects that will be subjected to the government’s real-time monitoring include preparation for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and the creation of a science business belt in Daejeon, located 164 kilometers south of Seoul. (Image : Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Korea Bizwire) – Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn vowed Tuesday to monitor big state projects in real-time in the latest of South Korea’s efforts to preemptively root out corruption.
Projects that will be subjected to the government’s real-time monitoring include preparation for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and the creation of a science business belt in Daejeon, located 164 kilometers south of Seoul.
“So far, the handling of corruption has been focused on reactive measures and punishments,” Hwang said as he announced a set of anti-corruption measures in the main government complex in central Seoul.
“But with this kind of approach, it is hard to fundamentally recover the national and social damage incurred by corruption,” he added, explaining the need to adopt a proactive system.
Hwang also said the government will expand and reorganize the risk management department for the country’s postal service, which manages some 105 trillion won (US$87 billion) of state funds.
The anti-corruption measures will scrutinize 16 public sectors that operate some 240 trillion won of government funds in total.
South Korea has been hit by a series of corruption scandals, including those in the state arms procurement agency, in recent years.
Last year, Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo quit his job over allegations that he received 30 million won (US$27,000) from a businessman when he was running for a parliamentary seat in 2013.’
(Yonhap)
